After eight years on the air, Desi Arnaz did not love Lucy any more. On screen, they were dynamite, a comedy pairing more successful than any Hollywood had ever produced. But when the cameras stopped rolling, they fought, screamed and threatened each other more each season. Finally, an argument in Desi's production office turned violent. Lucy hurled a cocktail glass past his head, and Desi demanded a divorce. He moved out that night. After nearly 20 years, America's favorite couple was finished.

5 out of 5 stars

loved it!!!

By
iris
on
01-13-17

The Whole Truth and Nothing But

By:
Hedda Hopper

Narrated by:
Hillary Huber

Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
78

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
68

Story

4 out of 5 stars
67

From the dawn of the studio system to the decade it all came crashing down, Hedda Hopper was one of the Queens of Hollywood. Although she made her name as a star of the silent screen, she found her calling as a gossip columnist, where she had the ear of the most powerful force in show business: the public. With a readership of 20,000,000 people, Hopper turned nobodies into stars, and brought stars to their knees. And in this sensational memoir, she tells all.

5 out of 5 stars

A great glimpse at the movie industry of the past.

By
Connie C
on
12-29-17

The Comedians

Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels and the History of American Comedy

By:
Kliph Nesteroff

Narrated by:
Kliph Nesteroff

Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
212

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
195

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
195

In
The Comedians, comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff brings to life a century of American comedy with real-life characters, forgotten stars, mainstream heroes and counterculture iconoclasts. Based on over 200 original interviews and extensive archival research, Nesteroff's groundbreaking work is a narrative exploration of the way comedians have reflected, shaped, and changed American culture over the past 100 years.

5 out of 5 stars

From Buster Keaton to Robin Williams and everything in between

By
Dan Booth Cohen
on
08-10-17

Andy and Don

The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show

By:
Daniel de Visé

Narrated by:
George Newbern

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
374

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
346

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
345

Andy Griffith and Don Knotts met on Broadway in the 1950s. When Andy went to Hollywood to film a TV pilot about a small-town sheriff, Don called to ask if the sheriff could use a deputy. The comedic synergy between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife ignited
The Andy Griffith Show, elevating a folksy sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship, as potent off the screen as on.

5 out of 5 stars

A Moving Tribute

By
Brian Harms
on
12-28-15

Jimmy Stewart

The Truth Behind the Legend

By:
Michael Munn

Narrated by:
Mark Whitten

Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
117

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
107

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
108

In this definitive biography of one of Hollywood's most beloved stars, Michael Munn reveals the truth behind the diffident, earnest and kindly persona of Jimmy Stewart. Drawn from the author's formal interviews and informal meetings with the star and his friendship with Stewart's wife, Gloria, is this portrait of a man who came from the Presbyterian traditions of Pennsylvania to become one of the silver screen's enduring legends.

4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining and very informative

By
Harry Boyle
on
09-22-13

Hope

Entertainer of the Century

By:
Richard Zoglin

Narrated by:
Malcolm Hillgartner

Length: 17 hrs and 47 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
150

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
139

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
137

Born in 1903, and until his death in 2003, Bob Hope was the only entertainer to achieve top-rated success in every major mass-entertainment medium, from vaudeville to television and everything in between. He virtually invented modern stand-up comedy. His tours to entertain US troops and patriotic radio broadcasts, along with his all-American, brash-but-cowardly movie character, helped to ease the nation's jitters during the stressful days of World War II.

5 out of 5 stars

A thoroughly engaging biography

By
John
on
12-29-14

Lucy and Desi

The Legendary Love Story of Television's Most Famous Couple

By:
Warren G. Harris

Narrated by:
Jim Frangione

Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
291

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
262

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
262

After eight years on the air, Desi Arnaz did not love Lucy any more. On screen, they were dynamite, a comedy pairing more successful than any Hollywood had ever produced. But when the cameras stopped rolling, they fought, screamed and threatened each other more each season. Finally, an argument in Desi's production office turned violent. Lucy hurled a cocktail glass past his head, and Desi demanded a divorce. He moved out that night. After nearly 20 years, America's favorite couple was finished.

5 out of 5 stars

loved it!!!

By
iris
on
01-13-17

The Whole Truth and Nothing But

By:
Hedda Hopper

Narrated by:
Hillary Huber

Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
78

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
68

Story

4 out of 5 stars
67

From the dawn of the studio system to the decade it all came crashing down, Hedda Hopper was one of the Queens of Hollywood. Although she made her name as a star of the silent screen, she found her calling as a gossip columnist, where she had the ear of the most powerful force in show business: the public. With a readership of 20,000,000 people, Hopper turned nobodies into stars, and brought stars to their knees. And in this sensational memoir, she tells all.

5 out of 5 stars

A great glimpse at the movie industry of the past.

By
Connie C
on
12-29-17

The Comedians

Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels and the History of American Comedy

By:
Kliph Nesteroff

Narrated by:
Kliph Nesteroff

Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
212

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
195

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
195

In
The Comedians, comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff brings to life a century of American comedy with real-life characters, forgotten stars, mainstream heroes and counterculture iconoclasts. Based on over 200 original interviews and extensive archival research, Nesteroff's groundbreaking work is a narrative exploration of the way comedians have reflected, shaped, and changed American culture over the past 100 years.

5 out of 5 stars

From Buster Keaton to Robin Williams and everything in between

By
Dan Booth Cohen
on
08-10-17

Andy and Don

The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show

By:
Daniel de Visé

Narrated by:
George Newbern

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
374

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
346

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
345

Andy Griffith and Don Knotts met on Broadway in the 1950s. When Andy went to Hollywood to film a TV pilot about a small-town sheriff, Don called to ask if the sheriff could use a deputy. The comedic synergy between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife ignited
The Andy Griffith Show, elevating a folksy sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship, as potent off the screen as on.

5 out of 5 stars

A Moving Tribute

By
Brian Harms
on
12-28-15

Jimmy Stewart

The Truth Behind the Legend

By:
Michael Munn

Narrated by:
Mark Whitten

Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
117

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
107

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
108

In this definitive biography of one of Hollywood's most beloved stars, Michael Munn reveals the truth behind the diffident, earnest and kindly persona of Jimmy Stewart. Drawn from the author's formal interviews and informal meetings with the star and his friendship with Stewart's wife, Gloria, is this portrait of a man who came from the Presbyterian traditions of Pennsylvania to become one of the silver screen's enduring legends.

4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining and very informative

By
Harry Boyle
on
09-22-13

Hope

Entertainer of the Century

By:
Richard Zoglin

Narrated by:
Malcolm Hillgartner

Length: 17 hrs and 47 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
150

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
139

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
137

Born in 1903, and until his death in 2003, Bob Hope was the only entertainer to achieve top-rated success in every major mass-entertainment medium, from vaudeville to television and everything in between. He virtually invented modern stand-up comedy. His tours to entertain US troops and patriotic radio broadcasts, along with his all-American, brash-but-cowardly movie character, helped to ease the nation's jitters during the stressful days of World War II.

5 out of 5 stars

A thoroughly engaging biography

By
John
on
12-29-14

Hank and Jim

The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart

By:
Scott Eyman

Narrated by:
David Colacci

Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
61

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
53

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
53

Henry Fonda and James Stewart were two of the biggest stars in Hollywood for 40 years. They became friends and then roommates as stage actors in New York, and when they began making films in Hollywood, they roomed together again. Between them they made such memorable films as
The Grapes of Wrath, Mister Roberts, Twelve Angry Men, and
On Golden Pond; and
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Destry Rides Again, The Philadelphia Story, It's a Wonderful Life, Vertigo, and
Rear Window.

4 out of 5 stars

Fascinating look into these two actors' lives

By
MinnMPA
on
06-25-18

Love, Lucy

By:
Lucille Ball

Narrated by:
Lucie Arnaz

Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
13

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
10

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
10

Love, Lucy is the valentine Lucille Ball left for her fans—a warm, wise, and witty memoir written by Lucy herself. The legendary star of the classic sitcom I Love Lucy was at the pinnacle of her success when she sat down to record the story of her life. No comedienne had made America laugh so hard, no television actress had made the leap from radio and B movies to become one of the world’s best-loved performers. This is her story—in her own words.

5 out of 5 stars

What a great book

By
SCOTT
on
07-11-18

My Happy Days in Hollywood

A Memoir

By:
Garry Marshall

Narrated by:
Garry Marshall

Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
336

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
300

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
301

Once called a legend in his own time slot, Garry Marshall has been among the most successful writers, directors, and producers in America for more than five decades. In
My Happy Days in Hollywood, Marshall takes us on a journey from his stickball-playing days in the Bronx to his time at the helm of some of the most popular television series and movies of all time, sharing the joys and challenges of working with the Fonz and the young Julia Roberts, the “street performer” Robin Williams, and the young Anne Hathaway, among many others.

5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Story of Garry's Life & Career

By
Stephanie E. O'Neill
on
03-21-16

Bette & Joan

The Divine Feud

By:
Shaun Considine

Narrated by:
January LaVoy

Length: 16 hrs and 20 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
532

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
480

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
475

This joint biography of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford follows Hollywood's most epic rivalry throughout their careers. They only worked together once, in the classic spine-chiller
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane, and their violent hatred of each other as rival sisters was no act. In real life they fought over as many men as they did film roles.

5 out of 5 stars

Old Hollywood Drama!

By
Amazon Customer
on
04-06-17

In Such Good Company

Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox

By:
Carol Burnett

Narrated by:
Carol Burnett

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
593

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
547

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
544

Who but Carol Burnett herself has the timing, talent, and wit to pull back the curtain on the Emmy Award-winning show that made television history for 11 glorious seasons?
In Such Good Company delves into little-known stories of the guests, sketches, and antics that made the show legendary as well as some favorite tales too good not to relive again. Carol lays it all out for us, from the show's original conception to its evolution into one of the most beloved primetime programs of its generation.

4 out of 5 stars

Awesome Memories of a Great Show!

By
Jami
on
10-01-16

The Lonely Life

An Autobiography

By:
Bette Davis

Narrated by:
Suzanne Toren

Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
31

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
29

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
27

The Lonely Life details the first 50-plus years of Davis' life - her Yankee childhood, her rise to stardom in Hollywood, the birth of her beloved children, and the uncompromising choices she made along the way to succeed. The book was updated with new material in the 1980s, bringing the story up to the end of Davis' life - all the heartbreak, all the drama, and all the love she experienced at every stage of her extraordinary life.

4 out of 5 stars

Bette Davis was a legend

By
Constantinos
on
11-26-17

My Girls

A Lifetime with Carrie and Debbie

By:
Todd Fisher

Narrated by:
Todd Fisher

Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
118

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
107

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
106

In December 2016, the world was shaken by the sudden deaths of Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds, two unspeakable losses. The stunned public turned for solace to Debbie’s only remaining child, Todd Fisher. The son of "America’s Sweethearts" Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Todd grew up amid the glamorous wealth and pretense of Hollywood. Thanks to his mother, Todd remained down to earth, his own man, but always close to his cherished mom, and to his sister through her meteoric rise to stardom and her struggle with demons that never diminished her humor, talent, or spirit.

5 out of 5 stars

Written with Love from the Inside Looking Out

By
Ivonne
on
06-27-18

Sinatra

The Chairman

By:
James Kaplan

Narrated by:
Donald Corren

Length: 40 hrs and 52 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
224

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
206

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
209

Just in time for the Chairman's centennial, the endlessly absorbing sequel to James Kaplan's best-selling
Frank: The Voice - finally the definitive biography that Frank Sinatra, justly termed "The Entertainer of the Century", deserves and requires. Like Peter Guralnick on Elvis, Kaplan goes behind the legend to give us the man in full, in his many guises and aspects: peerless singer, (sometimes) powerful actor, business mogul, tireless lover, and associate of the powerful and infamous.

5 out of 5 stars

Amazing, an excellent addition to Frank The Voice.

By
Nick
on
11-06-15

The Purple Diaries

Mary Astor and the Most Sensational Hollywood Scandal of the 1930s

By:
Joseph Egan

Narrated by:
Bernadette Dunne

Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
145

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
131

Story

4 out of 5 stars
131

1936 was a great year for the movie industry - the financial setbacks of the Great Depression were subsiding, so theater attendance was up. Americans everywhere were watching the stars, and few stars shined as brightly as one of America's most enduring screen favorites, Mary Astor. But Astor's personal story wasn't a happy one. Born poor and widowed at 24, Mary Astor had spent years looking for stability when she met and wed Dr. Franklyn Thorpe.

4 out of 5 stars

Courtroom Drama

By
Chris R
on
01-03-17

Dean and Me

A Love Story

By:
Jerry Lewis,
James Kaplan

Narrated by:
Stephen Hoye

Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
488

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
311

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
311

In a memoir by turns moving, tragic, and hilarious, Jerry Lewis recounts with crystal clarity every step of a 50-year friendship, from the springtime, 1945 afternoon when the two vibrant young performers destined to conquer the world together met on Broadway and 54th Street, to their tragic final encounter in the 1990s, when Lewis and his wife ran into Dean Martin, a broken and haunted old man.

5 out of 5 stars

You've got to listen to this!

By
Boone29680
on
12-05-05

I Loved Her in the Movies

Memories of Hollywood's Legendary Actresses

By:
Robert Wagner

Narrated by:
Robert Wagner

Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
186

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
165

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
162

In a career that has spanned more than 60 years, Robert Wagner has witnessed the twilight of the Golden Age of Hollywood and the rise of television, becoming a beloved star in both media. During that time he became acquainted, both professionally and socially, with the remarkable women who were the greatest screen personalities of their day.
I Loved Her in the Movies is his intimate and revealing account of the charisma of these women on film, why they became stars, and more.

5 out of 5 stars

Entertaining, insightful, and easy-to-listen to

By
Dr. Judith Frith
on
07-01-17

Johnny Carson

By:
Henry Bushkin

Narrated by:
Dick Hill

Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
1,055

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
941

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
940

From 1962 until 1992, Johnny Carson hosted
The Tonight Show and permeated the American consciousness. In the ’70s and ’80s he was the country’s highest-paid entertainer and its most enigmatic. He was notoriously inscrutable, as mercurial (and sometimes cruel) off-camera as he was charming and hilarious onstage. During the apex of his reign, Carson’s longtime lawyer and best friend was Henry Bushkin, who now shows us Johnny Carson with a breathtaking clarity and depth that nobody else could.

4 out of 5 stars

Should be called Johnny and me

By
Metaphorical 1
on
11-16-13

Publisher's Summary

Mickey Rooney began his career almost a century ago as a one-year-old performer in burlesque and stamped his mark in vaudeville, silent and talking films, Broadway, and television. He acted in his final motion picture just weeks before he died at age 93. He was an iconic presence in movies and the poster boy for American youth. Yet by World War II, Mickey Rooney had become frozen in time. His child-star status haunted him as the gilded safety net of Hollywood fell away, and he was forced to find support anywhere he could, including multiple marriages, affairs, alcohol, and drugs. This Old Hollywood biography presents Mickey Rooney from every angle, revealing the man Laurence Olivier once dubbed the best there has ever been.

Entertaining and enlightening.

Captures the essence of the greatest talent in Hollywood history. Details the professional success and personal foibles that repeatedly derailed his life. No matter, the cliche "the show must go on" really meant something.

Wow

Very interesting with lots of film history. Did not know it would be rated PG-13 to R though. Lots of detail into his life (some TMI) and lots of dropping the F bomb. If you want to keep the fantasy of Andy Hardy don't read this book. If you want a truthful look at who Mickey Rooney was then this is the book to do it. The rose colored glasses come off with this telling of the film legend's life. Very well written.

Complicated personal life amazing professional lif

This book covers the waterfront. Lots of scandals, but they are put in context of his life. Mickey did what he wanted; and he was a highly respected performer. Apparently, Mickey could be crude. The writing is ok; needs better editing; some passages are repeated, which was disconcerting. I liked learning about Mickey Rooney's life and struggles. And was astonished to find out what high regard his talent inspired.

Somewhat interesting but repetitive.

An interesting tale of exploitation of talent and a sordid life. But very repetitive. By the third time it's been said (about a fifth of the way through the book) we get it: Mickey was a very talented guy who blew through his money by gambling, drinking, womanizing, and making bad investments. Does it bear repeating another 20 times?

The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney

Knew little of Mickey Rooney but was told it was interesting. He had a long life and there was a lot of information to cover. Learned about what a talent he was and the huge amount of product he turned out during his life. Was never bored. In the end, he reminded me of the movies he made and when the movie ended he seemed to end. He was there moving through scripts but he was barely here other than moving through the years. He wasn't particularly nice and was a gambler, eventually, an alcoholic and left debris in his path to nowhere.

Mickey Rooney comes alive in this book!

This was my first audible book!! I felt I was following around the great Mickey Rooney!! Always loved his acting! There is nobody alive today that can hold a candle to the raw & natural talent of that of Mickey!!!